Sliding clasp fasteners



Aug. 16, 1966 GERLACH ET AL 3,266,114

SLIDING CLASP FASTENERS Original Filed Feb. 16, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ADOLF G/FALAC/ PIN/L ///LLK//VGA/A [/5 K0197 Lf/l/WEACH Arr; it

Aug. 16, 1966 GERLACH ET AL 3,266,114

SLIDING CLASP FASTENERS Original Filed Feb. 16, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR A. GERLACH ET AL 3,266,114

Aug. 16, 1966 SLIDING CLASP FASTENERS Original Filed Feb. 16, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 9

IN VEN TORS: 40 04/ area; 0/

M fill! AVA/G609 1/5 A Z/ 1? 7 M fiW UKMM Aug. 16, 1966 GERLACH ETAL 3,266,114

SLIDING CLASP FASTENERS Original Filed Feb. 16, 1960 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 r 3,266,114 Ice Patented Aug 1966 ,690 12 Claims. (Cl. 24-2651) This application is a continuation of our copending application Serial No. 9,108 filed February 16, 1960, now abandoned.

This invention relates to sliding clasp fastener members of wire or thread woven together with textile threads, and to a method of producing the same.

In the sliding clasp fastener industry it is known to produce slide fastener members in rows, in the form of coil springs of metal wire or synthetic plastic thread, to be woven as the warp thread in a supporting band.

It is also known to produce coil spring fasteners of the above-mentioned type by incorporating a weft thread of synthetic plastic in the fabric, simultaneously with the production of a supporting band, so that this weft thread of synthetic plastic forms the equivalent of coil spring windings.

The disadvantage of the first-mentioned type of manufacture consists in that the coil spring and the band have to be made separately in two stages or process steps. The disadvantage of both the first and the second types of manufacture of the sliding clasp fastener chains consists in that correct orientation of the individual windings in the longitudinal direction is not achieved, as the individual windings can be displaced in the fastener chains both perpendicularly to the plane of the fastener and in the longitudinal direction.

Finally, so-called meander sliding clasp fasteners are known, in which a wire or synthetic plastic thread is laid to run to-and-fro and then sewn to one edge of the supporting band around the longitudinal centre line with, or jointly with, a band holding the branches with parallel spacing, the said wire or thread being sewn thereto on one side or so as to embrace the edge of the band in the form of a U.

It is one object of the invention to eliminate certain separate steps in the manufacture of the row of meander members, and to produce a slid-ing clasp fastener or sliding clasp fastener chain in [one operation with the formation of a textile carrier.

In accordance with this object, the sliding clasp fastener members or sliding clasp fastener chains according to the invention are produced by tying by textile means a monofilarnent such as a wire or thread, in a V-band, forked band, or beaded band, with or without a supporting band. The thread is bent in sinuous form in the branches of the V or fork, or in the mutually opposite sides of the bead. The thread has longitudinally spaced reversing bows or loops, which lie in the surfaces and have a free reversal point, and has fastener closing bows extending from one branch of the band to the next or from one side to the other.

The production of these sliding clasp fastener members is effected according to the invention by weaving, in which term is included plaiting, raschel knitting, braiding, or crochet work, the Wire or thread with deformations located in accordance with the position of the reversal points and/or closure points while weaving a V-band,

forked .band, or beaded band, with or without a supporting band. The wire or thread is alternately woven into the branches of the band or opposite sides of the head in such a manner that the thread forms in the band branches or bead sides longitudinally offset reversing loops or bows and fastener closing bows extending from one branch of the fork or V to the other or from one side of the bead to the other. The reversing bows are held in the branches of the V or fork or the two sides of the band by means of a textile tie.

According to the invention, therefore, the sliding clasp fastener member can be continuously produced together with the supporting band in a single weaving operation, or the row of sliding clasp fastener members, bound by textile means, can be subsequently joined to a supporting band or directly to the object on which it is to be used. In every case according to the invention, in the production of the row of sliding clasp fasteners, the weaving of the textile carrier and the formation of the fastener members from the wire or thread are simultaneously effected.

In the production of the sliding clasp fastener members according to the invention, any desired suitable materials may be used, such as metal wires, monofilament or multifilament synthetic plastic threads, for example of polya'mide or polyurethane, with any desired cross-sectional configurations. The thread or wire may also be hollow.

It is particularly advantageous to give a special crosssectional configuration to the wire or thread at those points at which the branches are to reverse direction in the form of a bow or loop during weaving, or at those points to construct them with a view to closing or coupling, so that by this means the reversal points of the reversing bows and closing bows automatically come to lie in all cases in the fabric with the correct spacing and with the desired bending-over of the branches of the bow. These special configurations may be noses, flats, or other shapings of the wire or thread to form coupling elements, as described in greater detail below.

The above mentioned new method also enables two sliding clasp fasteners member chains according to the invention, which are to form a sliding clasp fastener, to be produced simultaneously, namely by weaving the two chains of sliding clasp fastener members, with their two cooperating rows of closing members interengaged and abutting one another.

The production of the sliding clasp fastener member chains according to the invention will now be explained with reference to the examples illustrated diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of a slide fastener member at different stages of manufacture according to the invention.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view partially diagrammatic in form of a wire or thread interwoven with a textile band.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a slide fastener in course of manufacture.

FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views of other fastener members according to the invention.

FIGURE 9 is a plan view partially diagrammatic, showing a step in a method for simultaneously weaving two interengaged slide fastener units according to the invention.

FIGURES 10-13 are side views of portions of different plastic threads which may be used in the slide fastener member.

In the weaving of a chain of sliding clasp fastener members having continuous rows of fastener members in the form of a meander sliding clasp fastener, from a metal wire or synthetic plastic thread, the procedure is for the weaving operation to be so performed, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, as to cause a spaced cord 2 to be located at the crotch between the branches of the V, or to be produced by weaving, in the course of the weaving of a textile tape having a longitudinally extending edge portion of bifurcated or V-shaped cross-sectional configuration with divergent sides 1a, 1b. FIGURE 1 illustrates this first stage of manufacture. During the further textile operation, as illustrated in FIG. 2, a pliant filament which may be a wire of synthetic plastic monofilamentary thread 3 is interwoven. first in one branch 1a of the V and then in the other branch 1b, preferably from the open side of the V. This wire or pliant monofilar thread is tied off by means of warp threads 4 in the case of the embodiment illustrated, although the tying may also be effected additionally or exclusively by textile weft threads. Between the individual alternate loops of the thread 3 there will be the necessary number of weft threads which are required for the construction of the textile band or carrier. The interwoven wire or synthetic plastic thread 3 is then drawn together as illustrated in FIG. 3, jointly with the V-branches 1a, 1b of the band, by means of tying threads, particularly warp threads 5, 6 which cover the synthetic plastic thread 3 on the outside on the opposite sides, and thus protect the Synthetic plastic thread from heat during ironing. This protection may be increased by the use of additional warp threads, if desired.

FIGURE 4 shows diagrammatically a view in perspective of a wire or synthetic plastic thread 3 in the textile band or carrier. The wire or synthetic plastic thread forms on the two opposite sides, in the surfaces of the V-branches 1a, 1b, mutually offset reversing bows or loops 11, the branches 12 of which run alternately from one V-branch of the textile carrier to the other and thus forms the fastener closing bows or loops 13. the branches of which are identical with the branches of the reversing bows 11. The radius of the closing bows 13 and the distance between the bow branches 12 lying opposite to the textile carrier are determined by the inserted or woven-in cord 2. With this type of manufacture, the reversing bows 11 lie completely free on the outer edge of the textile carrier, and thus forms a Wear resistant, and easily running guide for a sliding clasp fastener slide when two fastener chains of the type described according to the invention are combined to form a sliding clasp fastener. It is also possible to weave the V-shaped textile carrier 1a, 1b without a supporting band 1.-

In order to explain the invention clearly, the chain of fastener members and their mode of manufacture by weaving methods will be explained in detail with reference to a Woven fastener member illustrated in FIG. 5, in which, for the sake of greater clarity, the threads of a tape or band and the spacing of the branches of the reversing and .closing bows 11, 13 of the synthetic plastic thread 3 interwoven in the tape are shown enlarged.

The textile threads indicated by 14 and 15 constitute some warp threads of the supporting tape or band 1. The warp threads 16 correspond to the warp threads illus trated in FIG. 3 and serve for drawing together the branches 12 of the closing bows 13 and V-b ranches 1a and 1b (FIG. 1) of the textile carrier. The V-branches are formed by the Warp binding threads 17. During production by weaving, use is also made of the cord 2, or the latter is directly produced during production by weaving, in order to fix the radius of the closing bows 13 and the distance between the mutually opposite bow branches 12. The wire or synthetic plastic thread 3 forming the reversing bows 11 and the closing bows 13 is advantageously introduced from the open side of the V. As already mentioned, this thread 3 is given deformations 21 (FIG. 5) of the desired shape at the reversal points 11 and closure points 13, these deformations forming at the closing bows 13 the coupling elements of the fastener chain and ensuring that the reversing bows and closing bows will always lie on the same line in the longitudinal direction of the chain. A textile weft thread 18 (FIG. 5) of the fabric forms with the warp binding threads 17 between the bow branches 12 and closing bows 13, the V- branches 1a and 1b of the band or tape. Depending on necessary distances between the branches 12 on both sides, any desired number of weft threads may be incorporated between the branches 12. The warp threads 19 and 20 are tying threads for tying the V-branches 1a, 1b of the band.

The diagrammatic illustration in FIG. 5 shows the textile construction of the meander sliding clasp fastener chain particularly clearly. The closing bows 13 and reversing bow branches 12 are protected against heat during ironing by the textile tying threads 16, 17 and 19, 20. The bows 11 and 13 have deforamtions 21 defining coupling elements on both sides lying free to ensure wear-free slide guidance on cord 2. This wove-n structure ensures particularly firm mutual positioning of the closing bows 13.

It is possible to modify the textile construction to produce only a V-band 1a, 112 without the supporting band 1 as textile tape carrier for the wire or synthetic plastic thread 3.

In accordance with the cross-section shown in FIG. 6, which practically corresponds to that in FIG. 3, additional protection of thesy-nthetic plastic thread 3 against heat during ironing can be achieved by extending one or both of the two branches 1a, 1b of the V-band which are tied by textile means, as indicated by dotted lines at 7 in FIG. 6. These extensions 7 also provide protection against jamming of any parts between the closing bows 13 when two fastener chains of the described type are drawn together by means of a sliding clasp.

In FIG. 7 the wire or synthetic plastic thread 3 is shown woven directly in the mutually opposite sides of a textile head or cord 8. The bead 8 may also merge into a supporting band or tape 9 for the purpose of fastening the fastener member chain to any desired object. Production by weaving is efifected in a similar manner to that described with reference to FIGS. 1-5.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a forked textile carrier 10 or a forked textile band woven with the wire or synthetic plastic thread 3. A middle branch 2 of the fork determines the radius of the closing bow 13 and the distance between the mutually opposite closing bow branches 12. The two outer fork branches overlap the closing bow branches 12 to any desired extent to protect the plastic thread 3 during ironing.

The correct position of the reversing bows L1 and closing bows 13 (FIGS. 4 and 5) in the textile band or tape is achieved by proper cross-sectional shaping or deformation of the thread. To this end, the thread 3 is provided with deformations 21 at intervals corresponding to the width of the V-band, forked band and beaded band part, as is indicated by way of example in FIGS. 10-13. For simplification the cross-section of the thread is shown as circular although it may have any other desired profile.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, the thread 3 is alternately provided at uniform intervals with notches 22 advantageously located in a flattened cross-section of the thread to ensure coupling of the closing bows of two fastener chains. One notch determines the position of a reversing bow 11 and the next notch the position of a closing bow 13, or vice versa, in the textile carrier. At the same time the width of the notches determines the position of a reversing bow 11 and the next notch the position of a closing bow 13, or vice versa, in the textile carrier. At the same time the width of the notches determines the radius of the reversing and closing bows. The notches 22 ensure that when the thread is introduced into the textile product the bows can be formed only at these points.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 11, the thread 3 is provided with unilateral flattened widened parts 23. In

FIG. 12 the thread 3 is provided on both sides with flattened widened portions 23, which determine the position and the radius of the reversing and closing bows and at the same time form the coupling elements on the closing bows. The successive flattened parts are best situated at an angle to one another, preferably in planes at right angles to one another. The deformations 24 illustrated in FIG. 13, which may be of any shape, may also assume an oblique direction in relation to the longitudinal direction of the thread, so that the branches of the reversing and closing bows will then also assume on weaving an oblique position to the longitudinal direction of the fastener band.

In all the embodiments illustrated in FIGS.. -13, further deformations, advantageously of similar dimensions, or roughened portions 26 may be provided on the surface of the thread between the deformations 22, 23, 24, so that as a result the position of the warp threads 16, 20- (see FIG. 5) is better frictionally secured against sliding on the bow branches.

The provision of the deformations 22 to 24 or deformations of a different shape on the thread is advantageous not only for the production of meander fasteners of the type described in order to fix the position of the bows, but according to the invention is also advantageous in the production of coil spring fasteners in which a monofilament is woven as weft thread into a textile carrier over the entire width or part of the width, because in such cases the reversal points of the thread are then fixed in their position in the textile carrier, while the coupling closing points approach freely between the edge of the band and the coil springs assume a flattened form in the textile carrier.

The wire or synthetic plastic thread may be conducted around a mandrel, wire or the like, at the positions of the closing bows during production by weaving. This mandrel, wire or the like may be left in position during the weaving operation or be subsequently drawn out so that the closing bows then approach freely between the edge of the band to provide the coupling engagement.

The method according to the invention of using individually woven chains of sliding clasp fasteners may also be employed, by suitably modifying a ribbon loom, for the simultaneous production of both chains of a sliding clasp fastener in a continuous weaving operation, as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 9.

In this case the procedure is for the two chains of sliding clasp fasteners to be'woven symmetrically while the weft threads or weft wires forming the closing bows in the two chains, are alternately laid around the common mandrel, wire or rigid thread. In order to produce the closing and reversing bows, use is made of a wire or synthetic plastic thread 3a and 3b which has any desired cross-sectional profiling and which at the points corresponding to the reversing bows 11 and closing bows 13 or at corresponding intervals can be provided with deformations which form the coupling elements 21 at the closing bows but which may also be shaped during the weaving operation itself as explained below.

As illustrated in FIG. 9, a cross-weft type of weaving is produced on a ribbon loom (not shown) having four shuttles. One of the shuttles receives the bobbin of the synthetic plastic thread 3a and a second shuttle receives the bobbin of the textile weft thread 18a. The two shuttles are passed from one side through the open warp threads of the two textile carriers, while on the return throw the warp thread of one textile carrier remains stationary, whereupon the other two shuttles are introduced from the other side with the synthetic plastic thread 3a and the weft thread 18b. On the return throw the warp thread of the other textile carrier then remains stationary and these operations are continuously repeated in succession. The synthetic'plastic threads 30 and 3b are thus laid alternately around the common mandrel 32 and slide off at the end of this mandrel so that the closing bows produced mesh and lock with the deformations 21 forming the coupling elements.

In this method for the simultaneous production of the two fastener chains of a sliding clasp fastener the coupling elements 21 may also be shaped directly during the weaving operations, namely by plasticizing the synthetic plastic threads 3a and 3b, when or before they are laid around the common mandrel 32 or wire 32 by the supp y of heat by means of solvents or the like so that when the synthetic plastic thread is then laid around the mandrel deformation of the thread in the closing bows are formed and constitute the closing elements or coupling elements. The heat may be supplied to the synthetic plastic thread from outside by radiation, by high-frequency heating or also by heating the mandrel 32, in which case the mandrel is, for example, heated by connecting it to a source of heat. Instead of the mandrel 32, use may also be made of a rigid wire or thread which during the weaving operation is pulled out or which travels during the weaving operation and is subsequently drawn out.

The cross-weft type of weaving operation in conjunction with the alternate laying of the wire or synthetic plastic threads 3:; and 3b or other monofilament around the mandrel or wire 32 yields an entirely finished, closed, endless sliding clasp fastener consisting of two chains of fastener members, and which has merely to be divided into the lengths, each of which must be provided with a sliding clasp. From this symmetrical weaving of two chains of sliding clasp fasteners any spacing errors between the individual closing bows, which may be caused through differences in thickness of the binding threads through internal tensions of the synthetic plastic threads or the like during the production of individual fastener chains as illustrated in FIGS l8, are in all cases avoided. Any internal tensions in the synthetic plastic threads may moreover be eliminated during the weaving operation by the application of heat.

In the method illustrated in FIG. 9, it is also possible to weave the two rows of closing members engaging each other by a sliding clasp fastener, with a textile carrier without the supporting bands 10 and 1d, so that these two continuous rows of closing members can then be bound directly to an object requiring a fastener.

While we have shown and described what we believe to be the best embodiments of our invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The method of continuously forming strip material from which sliding clasp fasteners with stringer tape portions may be cut, said method comprising the steps of: deforming a monofilar synthetic plastic thread at uniformly longitudinally spaced intervals; weaving the deformed thread conjointly with textile threads; reversing the direction of the deformed thread at successive deformations during the course of said weaving step; and causing alternate deformations to project outwardly beyond one edge of the stringer tape portion of said material during said weaving step whereby said alternate deformations form a series of coupling elements for the sliding clasp fastener.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said reversing step is performed, in the case of said alternate deformations, by weaving said deformed thread around mandrel means of uniform cross-sectional configuration, said mandrel means causing said alternate deformations to project a predetermined fixed distance beyond said one edge of said stringer tape portion of said strip material, said method comprising the further step of withdrawing said mandrel means from said strip material.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said reversing step causes successive alternate deformations intermediate said first-named alternate deformations to lie inwardly of said one edge alternately on opposite sides of said stringer tape portion.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, during the course of said weaving step, portions of said plastic thread intermediate successive ones of said deformations are secured to said stringer tape portion by textile warp threads.

5. The method according to. claim 4, comprising the further step of roughening said plastic thread intermediate said successive deformaitons whereby slippage of said warp threads with respect to said plastic thread is resisted.

6. A method of producing a slide fastener member, comprising the steps of weaving a textile tape having a longitudinally extending edge portion of bifurcated crosssectional configuration, positioning a spacer cord at the crotch of said edge portion during the weaving thereof, deforming portions of a pliant filament at regularly spaced intervals along the filament, bending and looping the filament to sinuous form while interweaving the filament with warp and weft threads of the tape along the crotch of said edge portion and at opposite sides of said spacer cord so that deformed portions of the filament are positioned at points of reversal of successive branches of the loops, positioning alternate ones of the deformed portions extending outwardly from and free of said edge portion to define closing loops for engaging the deformed portions of cooperating closing loops of another similar fastener member, positioning the other deformed portions of the filament to define reversing loops engaging transversely extending weft threads of the tape, and weaving tying means into said tape drawing divergent sides of said edge portion together over the cord and securing said reversing loops and branches of the filament to said tape.

7. A method of producing a slide fastener member comprising the steps of weaving a textile tape having a longitudinally extending edge portion of bifurcated crosssectional configuration, positioning a spacer cord at the crotch, of said edge portion during the weaving thereof, deforming portions of a pliant filament at regularly spaced intervals along the filament to form flattened impressions disposed alternately in mutually perpendicular planes axially of the filament, bending and looping the filament to sinuous form while interweaving the filament with warp and weft threads of the tape along the crotch of said edge portion and at opposite sides of said spacer cord so that deformed portions of the filament are positioned at points of reversal of successive branches of the loops, alternate ones of the deformed portions extending outwardly from and free of said edge portion to define closing loops for engaging the deformed portions of cooperating closing loops of another similar fastener member, the other de formed portions of the filament defining reversing loops engaging transversely extending weft threads of the tape, and weaving tying means into said tape drawing divergent sides of said edge portion together over the cord and securing said reversing loops and branches of the filament to said tape.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the step of roughening the surface of said filament to provide randomly extending projections engaging the threads of said tape to maintain the loops of the filament fixedly positioned with respect to said tape.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein said filament is formed of synthetic plastic material, and further comprising the step of treating said filament to set permanently the deformations and loops'thereof.

10. A method according to claim 6,.wherein said bending and looping of the portions of said filament defining said closing loops is performed around a longitudinally extending guide, and further comprising the step of withdrawing the guide after the filament is bent and looped.

11. A slide fastener member comprising a V-shaped tape having opposing sides and a crotch at the junction of the opposing sides, a cord disposed between the sides of the tape and extending axially in the crotch, said tape being formed of interwoven warp and weft threads, a filament in sinuous form interwoven with the opposing sides alternately along the tape, said filament having a series of loops extending outwardly of the tape, each of the loops having projections to engage and couple with corresponding projections of loops of another similar slide fastener member, said filament having other loops alternating with the first named loops and connected thereto by filament loop branches, said other loops having deformed portions engaged with the weft threads, and tying means interwoven with said branches and securing opposite sides of the tape together around the cord and said other loops, wherein said warp threads cross the branches of the loops, said branches having randomly extending other projections engaging the warp threads so that the loops are maintained in fixed positions inside and outside of the tape along the length thereof.

12. The method of continuously and simultaneously forming two strips of material from which interengaged sliding clasp fasteners with separate stringer tape portions may be out, said method comprising the steps of: deforming two monofilar plastic threads each at uniformly longitudinally spaced intervals, the intervals in the two threads being equal; weaving the two deformed threads conjointly with textile threads; reversing the direction of each thread at successive deformations during the course of said weaving step; causing alternate deformations in each thread to project outwardly beyond one edge of the stringer tape portion of the strip of material into which it is interwoven by weaving said threads from opposite directions around common mandrel means of uniform crosssectional configuration, each thread being woven with one of its deformations engaging a corresponding deformation in the other thread, whereby said alternate deformations in one thread form a series of coupling elements in engagement with corresponding coupling elements of the other thread; and withdrawing said mandrel means from said strips of material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,730,553 10/1929 Blair. 2,061,680 11/1936 Sipe 24-205 2,514,213 7/1950 Mason 18-10 2,567,160 9/1951 Wahl 24-205.16 2,651,330 9/1953 Mostertz 139-11 2,776,452 1/ 1957 Chavannes 18-10 2,914,643 11/1959 Fields 140-105 2,919,482 1/1960 Casson 24-205 X 3,069,723 12/1962 Porepp.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,022,981 1/ 8 Germany.

553,856 6/1943 Great Britain.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

1. THE METHOD OF CONTINUOUSLY FORMING STRIP MATERIAL FROM WHICH SLIDING CLASP FASTENERS WITH STRINGER TAPE PORTIONS MAY BE CUT, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: DEFORMING A MONOFILAR SYNTHETIC PLASTIC THREAD AT UNIFORMLY LONGITUDINALLY SPACED INTERVALS; WEAVING THE DEFORMED THREAD CONJOINTLY WITH TEXTILE THREADS; REVERSING THE DIRECTION OF THE DEFORMED THREAD AT SUCCESSIVE DEFORMATIONS DURING THE COURSE OF SAID WEAVING STEP; AND CAUSING ALTERNATE DEFORMATIONS TO PROJECT OUTWARDLY BEYOND ONE EDGE OF THE STRINGER TAPE PORTION OF SAID MATERIAL DURING SAID WEAVING STEP WHEREBY SAID ALTERNATE DEFORMATIONS FORM A SERIES OF COUPLING ELEMENTS FOR THE SLIDING CLASP FASTENER. 